Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts after a dunk against Wahsington. | AP photo
MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 43 points, Eric Bledsoe had 22 points and 11 assists, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Washington Wizards 148-129 on Wednesday night (Thursday morning, Philippine Time) for their fifth consecutive victory.
The Bucks shot 60 percent (56 for 93) from the field and placed six players in double figures while becoming the first NBA team with 40 victories. Malcolm Brogdon had 18 points, and Khris Middleton finished with 16.
Washington trailed by as many as 25 in the first half, but closed to 120-113 on Chasson Randle layup with 10:22 left.
Bledsoe helped finish off the Wizards with 10 points in a quick scoring flurry, including a dunk off a missed free throw by Antetokounmpo. He made a 3-pointer with 7:07 remaining to make it 138-118.Bradley Beal led Washington with 30 points, and Thomas Bryant had 26. Jeff Green finished with 22 points for his fourth straight game with 20 or more.
The Wizards (22-32) played without Otto Porter Jr. after he was traded to the Chicago Bulls for Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis. A person familiar with the situation confirmed the move on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
Antetokounmpo went 17 for 21 from the field in Milwaukee’s highest scoring game of the season. He also had six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
The Bucks (40-13) rolled to 50 points in the first quarter on 20-for-27 shooting. They led 85-65 at the break.
It was the highest scoring quarter of the season for Milwaukee. The halftime total was two shy of the franchise record for points in a half set on March 14, 1979, versus the New Orleans Jazz.
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